News Feature in 2004

China is a growing biotech player whose main competitive edge lies in low development costs. But will inexperienced money men and a disinterested pharmaceutical industry hold it back? Sabine Louët investigates.

Healthcare costs are out of control. Generic biotech products could ease the pain. What's holding things up? Stephan Herrera investigates.

Flavor-enhancing molecules provide a fast track to market and to an IPO, at least for Senomyx, the first 'flavor' biotech out of the block. Will others follow? Cormac Sheridan investigates.

The US NCI is spearheading efforts to create a national network for storing cancer tissue samples as well as an international informatics grid to share data. Aaron Bouchie reports.

Surveillance for biotech performance-enhancing drugs was increased at last month's Olympic Games. Will athletes turn to more stealth enhancements in the future? Laura DeFrancesco investigates.

Will the new multiple sclerosis drug Antegren be the next blockbuster drug as some analysts predict? Cormac Sheridan investigates.

A promising new horse vaccine may reignite enthusiasm for DNA vaccine technology in designing prophylactics against infectious disease. Kendall Powell reports.

Has skepticism about nucleic acid therapeutics shaped the competitive landscape for emerging aptamer companies? Karl Thiel reports.

Will formal entry into the European Union enable the eight new Central European members to galvanize their biotech sectors? Clare Sansom reports.

US funding for biodefense research continues on an upward trend, but some say the effort is misguided. Laura DeFrancesco reports.

Developing countries could exploit traditional medicine to kick-start biotech, but only if their products measure up to the demands of Western regulators. Paroma Basu reports.

Immunomodulator CTLA4-Ig was set to be the miracle drug for organ transplantation a dozen years ago, but then faded from view. Now, with startling results in rheumatoid arthritis, costimulatory blockers are on a comeback. Ken Garber reports.

Is the race to take protein kinase inhibitors to market compromising their success in the clinic?